Washington State at Notre Dame, Oct. 31

[Jason Pham]

at

Washington State Cougers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
6:30 pm CST

Sports Book (Coming Soon) | Pick'Em (Coming Soon)

​

 

[irish4ever]

Anyone have any insight on the Alamodome ... good stadium to watch a game (seating wise)?

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Saw the 2008 Army AA game there. Seating was fine. Certainly not your classic college football experience. Felt like I was in a mini-Georgia Dome. All the same, will be nice to have the Irish in Texas.

 

[Riddickulous]

I hate domes.

 

[kmoose]

I hate domes.

I generally don't like them, either. But I have heard, from some friends in Texas, that people from San Antonio vacation in hell, to cool off. So, given that, maybe a dome is not such a bad thing. Although, come October 31, I'm sure it won't be that hot down there. I'll let you know, when I get back.

 

[Riddickulous]

I went to see Jonas Gray's high school championship game at Ford Field. It was like sitting in a gigantic gymnasium.

 

[BGIF]

Midseason review: Washington State
October 20, 2009 Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller
WASHINGTON STATE (1-5, 0-4 Pac-10)

In coach Paul Wulff's second season, Washington State is still rebuilding. There are reasons for hope but not many wins.

The season started with consecutive losses to Stanford, when the Cougars played a competitive game, and Hawaii, when they looked sloppy.

Then, trailing SMU 24-7 in the third quarter, the Cougs got a little good fortune and rode a pair of long interception returns to an overtime victory.

That is the only win so far, and it may be the only win this season.

The Cougars have been riddled with injuries, and Wulff has opted to start promising true freshman Jeff Tuel at quarterback.

While it's not much consolation, there is this: In its four Pac-10 games thus far, the Cougars have dramatically reduced their margin of defeat from last year.

So the Cougar are better off at midseason than they were a year ago.

Offensive MVP:
Kenny Alfred, center: Amid the offensive line's turmoil of injuries, senior center Kenny Alfred has been a rock for the Cougars. In the six games this season, he's earned WSU's most outstanding offensive player award five times. He also is on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the third-straight year.

Defensive MVP:
Travis Long, defensive line: True freshman end Travis Long leads all Cougar defensive linemen with 27 tackles (19 solo). He also has recorded three tackles-for-loss, including two sacks, and has started each of the first six games of his Cougar career.

 

[BGIF]

Harmon Forecast CBSsports.com

Harmon Forecast CBSsports.com

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=bg2 height=17 vAlign=center align=right><TD align=left> California 31 </TD><TD align=left> Washington State 21</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[BGIF]

CAL Rolls Over WSU 49-17

CAL Rolls Over WSU 49-17

CAL QB Kevin Riley threw for TDs on his only 3 passes of the first Q. He hit his RBs for for 2 of the 3 TDS as the CAL scored 28 points on its first 11 plays to effectively win the game in the first 15 minutes. Best ran for 159 yds and 2 more scores.
WSU had 299 yds of halftime behind freshman QB Jeff Tuel with a big 2nd Q, and finished with a season-high 440 yds. CAL's D gave up 400 yds for the 4th game in a row. Tuel was 28 of 42, 354 yds, 2 TDs.

 

[Master Guns]

Does anyone know why they are playing in
San Antonio.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

This is a "home" game for ND. Wonder what the crowd/ ticket availability will be like.

It'd be sweet to see ND post their 211th straight sell out in TEXAS

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Just to help out a little bit.

 

[We_Are_ND]

They are playing in San Antonio because Notre Dame is doing a thing now where one home game a year will be played across country to give other Notre Dame fans a chance to see the Irish.


It's gunna be so weird seeing a Notre Dame home game on NBC, at night.......in a different stadium.

 

[jason_h537]

This better not be another close game. If Dayne is not starting in the 2nd half, we have problems.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

I hope they get just as ready for this game as any other. I have no doubts we will win but we need a BIG win.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Opens at ND -30

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Are we REALLY 30 point faves?

Love my Irish, but we NEVER cover a spread when its that big. This team is dinged up on offense. Floyd, Parris, AA, Rudolph, and King James. I'd be thrilled with a 35-14 kind of game.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Just to help out a little bit.

I'll be in section 105. Holler at your boy IA97. I'll be with my 2 oldest (7 and 5) as they experience their first ND game. We are letting them wear their Halloween costumes to the game. What amazing kids to give up trick or treating. Twins will be in the hotel watchin with mama.

 

[irish4ever]

I'll be in section 105. Holler at your boy IA97. I'll be with my 2 oldest (7 and 5) as they experience their first ND game.

That's cool that you get to take your kids to the game! It was a great experience when I took my eldest son to his first Irish game .... a time to truly relish! I'll be in section 121 and I'm really looking forward watch our beloved 25th ranked Irish play and hopefully really lay one on WSU! Plus, looking forward to enjoying San Antonio (first time visitor)!

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

I cannot name one player who is on the WSU roster.

With that said, ND has one blowout this year and Nevada is long forgotten. I'd love a 28-0 halftime lead so I could relax and enjoy the party, but I won't get my hopes up.

just WIN

 

[Steve]

I'll be at a college hockey game, but I'll be watching ND on my brother's iTouch. I'm pretty pumped.

 

[GDomer09]

I cannot name one player who is on the WSU roster.

With that said, ND has one blowout this year and Nevada is long forgotten. I'd love a 28-0 halftime lead so I could relax and enjoy the party, but I won't get my hopes up.

just WIN

I hear ya PL22!!! I need a relxing game for a change. My heart is craving for it.

 

[irishfan]

I think this game could end up being huge

4 steps to rebuilding a team

1) Losing by a lot (2007)
2) Losing close games (2008)
3) Winning close games (2009 so far)
4) Winning by a lot

I think with a blowout over WSU and a strong game against Navy, we could be at the point where our team moves from step 3 to step 4. I know the Pitt game is huge and its early for a prediction, but I think its either going to be a really close game or we will win by 20. I just feel like this WSU game is going to a game that we can look back on at the end of the year and say it was a turning point.

 

[josejose4482]

does anyone know when the Irisih arrive and where they're going to be practicing?

 

[BGIF]

does anyone know when the Irisih arrive and where they're going to be practicing?

According to Charlie's Press Conference they arrive Friday night around 7 pm. He noted the players will be going to chow not the Riverwalk. 10pm curfew.

Practice on game day?

I'd expect pregame Walkthrough/Warmups be in the dome.

 

[BGIF]

Average weight of the offensive and defensive lines:

Notre Dame OL 315.0 lbs. vs. Washington State DL 266.0 lbs. ND +49 Lbs/man
Notre Dame DL 275.0 lbs. vs. Washington State OL 299.4 lbs. WSU +24.4 Lbs/man​

Average height of the receivers and the secondaries:
Notre Dame WR/TE 6’ 3 1/3” vs. Washington State DB 5’ 11 1/4" ND +4 1/12
Notre Dame DB 6’ 1” vs. Washington State WR/TE 6’ 1 1/4” WSU + 1/4

ND HUGE advantage in OLine Wt over WSU DLine
ND Receivers with Huge Height advantage.

​

 

[BGIF]

ND Personnel Changes - 2 Deep

ND Personnel Changes - 2 Deep

Kyle McCarthy, ND's top tackler will play FS instead of SS. His backup is his brother, Dan McCarthy.

Harrison Smith and Darius Fleming are as co-starters at SAM LB.

Sergio Brown replaces Kyle McCarthy at SS. Jamoris Slaughter is backup SS..

Robert Blanton replaces Darrin Walls at RC. Walls drops to backup.

Duval Kamara starts in place of Robby Parris at Z Receiver. Parris will not play. John Goodman is backup at Z.

Ben Turk and Eric Maust are co-starters at punter. A punt off during the week will determine who takes the field on 4th down.

 

[BGIF]

Interesting tidbit in Charlie's PC, in response to a question on McCarthy "moving" to FS, Charlie responded that ND actually plays a "High Safety" and a "Low Safety".

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Q. Can you kind of explain what's going on with the safety situation? Is Kyle (McCarthy) actually the free safety now?[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]COACH WEIS: You have high safeties and low safeties and two deep safeties. We have high safeties and low safeties, normally semantically the guy who is deep is the free safety. And normally the guy who has dropped down, semantically, is the strong safety. That's why when you got that depth chart it's just based off semantics. [/FONT]

I"m curious if this ends up causing confusion in coverage as the secondary reads, and shifts responsibilities accordingly.



Charlie also noted in response to a question that Harrison Smith confidence had been shaken but changing his assignment against BC helped restore it. Really, he said that.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Q. Can you talk about Harrison Smith. Started out the year as safety now you are moving him to linebacker and he played so well against Michigan, it's been a struggle for him since then. Talk about how he's handling the move to linebacker. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]COACH WEIS: He's had some good production in the secondary. It's just that, you know, his confidence has gotten a little bit shaken. Is so we moved him down into a comfort zone to regain his confidence. And he played significantly better. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You know, he kind of, sort of flip flopped with Sergio. With Sergio going back into his positions and Harrison going down there working at Sam along with Darius and those [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]other guys. I think that, you know, he regained a lot of his confidence. [/FONT]

 

[BGIF]

Odds down to -27.5

Everybody in Pullman must be getting a piece of the action.

 

[josejose4482]

According to Charlie's Press Conference they arrive Friday night around 7 pm. He noted the players will be going to chow not the Riverwalk. 10pm curfew.

Practice on game day?

I'd expect pregame Walkthrough/Warmups be in the dome.

So I take it the players won't be attending the pep rally?